All Replies on Butcher Block Crack

17 replies so far

I would just fill it in with tinted epoxy then re-surface it. That would leave it as a character mark but make it so bacteria etc don’t pool in the crack. If it was in the dump, I might let it sit in the shop or house for a good long while to get out any moisture it aquired when outdoors. May have been what caused the crack.

I’ve never tired to fix somethnig that large. Some off the wall ideas are to rig up a jig using a large jack ( several tons) and use the jack to sqeeze the crack shut. Or maybe something with hand winch so you have more leverage that the handles on the pipe clamps. Another would be to cut the block on both sides of the at the crack and then glue the rest back together.

I haven’t actually counted the pieces, but there are well over 200. They are individual pieces of hard maple and they are faced so that the end grain is up. What I mean by this is that the cutting surface is made up of end grain. Cutting it in two – especially with the threaded rods through it would be impossible. There would be no way to get a clean cut as it is too thick. I don’t think routing would work either as the cracks are probably several inches deep. I think that Jimmy’s idea of the epoxy will work the best

Cut it in half along the crack using a circular saw plus a sawzall or just a chainsaw smooth the two sides router out some pockets on both top and bottom to place some counter top hardware a couple on top and tom.make them deep enough so you can inlay some Dutchman large enough to hide the hardware. Then glue both sides together and tighten the hardware top and bottom. after the glue is dry make and install the Dutchmen. Then bleach the daylights out of that thing IT’S BEEN IN THE DUMP LOL

Thank you all very much for the ideas. mdbohica, I really like your “wild idea.” It does solve a few problems. I think what may work is for me to put in dovetail stitches where necessary, but maybe it would be wise to actually route the block and take off approximately 1 inch. I would then actually make a new cutting board about an inch thick and attach it to the current butcher block. This I think would get rid of any germ problem that may have developed at the dump.

Jim, I really want to avoid cutting the block in half. It’s just sooooo heavy and I actually think there are threaded rods running through it

If it were me, I’d drive some wedges into the crack and split the wood. hen I would surface the teo mating surfaces. Next I would clean them with acetone (in case there is any oil seepage). Then I woul reglue and clamp.

I am actually planning to use it in my kitchen as a counter/cutting board/conversation piece. I’m in the process now of turning the legs and making the skirt underneath. I really hope it works out. Seems like a real shame to let that nice piece go to waste.